Another prominent trait in Spohr’s character was his childlike simplicity, combined with never-failing good-nature and an inability to bear malice. Nor did the many unavoidable trials and vexations of a long life ever permanently disturb his good humour or sour his temper; and even gross injustice failed to do more than temporarily ruffle the calm serenity of his soul. Thus he passed through the world, an active and highly useful member of society, beloved and respected by all who knew him, till in process of time he went down to his grave full of years and honour.
As is explained in the text, the Autobiography comes to an end with the month of June 1838; but the description of the life and doings of the great master from that date till the time of his death was continued from reliable materials furnished by Mrs. Spohr and other members of the family; so that the whole forms a true account and lively picture of Spohr’s earthly career from his cradle to his grave.
With these few remarks we submit the work to the perusal and kind consideration of the gentle reader.
London, October 1864.
THE TRANSLATOR.
Chronological Index of Contents.
| Vol. I. | |
| Page | |
| 1784 to 1799. Spohr’s childhood and youth at Seesen and Brunswick.—Musical proclivities, and the instrument of his choice.—His first instructors on the violin.—First attempts at composition.—Sent by his father to Hamburg to seek his fortune.—Disappointed hopes, and return to Brunswick.—Singular interview with the Duke of Brunswick.—Appointed violinist in the court orchestra of the Duke.—Undertakes the musical education of his brother Ferdinand.—His admiration of the music of Mozart.—Disturbs the Duchess of Brunswick at her party of “ombre” with his “murderous fiddling.” | [1] |
| 1802. Spohr proceeds with Franz Eck to St. Petersburg.—Revisits Hamburg.—Cultivates at intervals his fondness for drawing and painting in water-colours.—His first love.—Dussek.—Spohr’s first published work, violin concerto Op. 1.—Stay at Strelitz.—Romantic adventure.—Second capture of Spohr’s heart.—Königsberg.—St. Petersburg.—Impressions, and incidents during his stay in that Capital.—Returns by sea to Germany.—Arrival at Brunswick | [14] |
| 1803. Appointed court musician at Brunswick | [62] |
| 1804. Musical tour to Leipsic, Dresden and Berlin | [67] |
| 1805. Appointed Concert-Master at Gotha.—Present with Prince Louis Ferdinand at the military manœuvres at Magdeburg | [84] |
| 1806. Marriage of Spohr with Dorette Scheidler | [95] |
| 1807. Musical tour to Weimar, Leipsic, Dresden, Prague, Munich, Frankfort, Stuttgard and Heidelberg | [101] |
| 1808. Pedestrian tour through the Harz with his pupils | [112] |
| Composes his opera of “Alruna” | [115] |
| Congress at Erfurt | [117] |
| 1809. Musical tour to Leipsic, Breslau, Berlin and Hamburg | [128] |
| 1810. Musical festival at Frankenhausen | [139] |
| Performance of the opera: “Zweikampf mit der Geliebten,” at Hamburg | [153] |
| 1812. Performance of the oratorio: “Das jüngste Gericht” at the Musical festival at Erfurt | [157] |
| Musical tour to Leipsic, Prague and Vienna | [159] |
| 1813. Appointed director of the orchestra at the theatre An der Wien | [168] |
| Composes his opera of “Faust” | [178] |
| 1814. Composes his cantata: “The Liberation of Germany” | [182] |
| 1815. Journey to Brünn, Breslau, Carolath.—Third musical festival at Frankenhausen | [203] |
| Musical tour to Wurzburg, Nuremberg and Munich | [211] |
| 1816. Frankfort.—Strasbourg, &c. | [217] |
| Visit to Switzerland | [234] |
| Journey to Milan | [251] |
| Journey to Venice | [270] |
| Journey to Bologna, Florence and Rome | [283] |
| 1817. Departure from Rome.—Arrival at Naples | [325] |
| Vol. II. | |
| 1817. Residence in Naples | [1] |
| Ascends Mount Vesuvius | [3] |
| Departure from Naples to Rome | [32] |
| “Miserere” in the Sistine Chapel | [36] |
| Departure from Rome | [41] |
| Addenda in reference to the Italian journey | [47] |
| Visit to Holland | [53] |
| Appointed director of the orchestra at Frankfort | [53] |
| 1818. Composes the opera: “Zemire and Azor” | [58] |
| Journey to the musical festival at Mannheim | [59] |
| 1819. Leaves Frankfort | [66] |
| Musical tour to Berlin, Dresden, Leipsic and Cassel | [68] |
| Visit to Brussels | [68] |
| 1820. Journey to London | [72] |
| First concert at the Philharmonic Society | [82] |
| Spohr’s concert at the New Argyll Rooms, London | [94] |
| Mr. Logier’s Musical Academy | [98] |
| Return to Germany | [102] |
| Musical festival at Quedlinburg | [105] |
| Journey to Paris by way of Frankfort and Heidelberg | [105] |
| 1821. Return to Gandersheim | [134] |
| Concerts at Alexisbad and Pyrmont | [135] |
| Removal to Dresden | [138] |
| 1822. Appointed director of the orchestra of the court theatre at Cassel | [141] |
| 1823. Institutes the Society of St. Cecilia | [147] |
| Composes the opera: “Jessonda” in Cassel, where it is first performed | [148] |
| 1824. “Jessonda” performed in Leipsic | [153] |
| 1825. “Jessonda” performed in Berlin | [157] |
| Composes the opera of “The Mountain Sprite” in Cassel, where it is first performed | [157] |
| 1826. Composes the oratorio of: “Die letzten Dinge” in Cassel, where it is first performed | [159] |
| Musical festival at Düsseldorf | [161] |
| 1827. Composes the opera: “Pietro von Abano” | [163] |
| 1828. Musical festival at Halberstadt | [165] |
| 1829. Musical festival at Nordhausen | [166] |
| 1830. Composes the opera: “The Alchymist” | [168] |
| 1831. Celebration festival upon the occasion of the grant of a constitution to Hesse | [172] |
| Celebration of Spohr’s “Silver Wedding” | [173] |
| Terminates his work “The Violin School” | [176] |
| 1832. Composes the symphony: “Die Weihe der Töne” | [178] |
| Celebration of the “Golden Wedding” of Spohr’s parents | [180] |
| 1833. Musical festival at Halberstadt | [183] |
| 1834. Journey to Marienbad | [184] |
| Death of Spohr’s first wife | [187] |
| 1835. Finishes the oratorio: “Des Heilands letzte Stunden” (Calvary) in Cassel, where it is performed for the first time | [188] |
| Journey to Sandfort in Holland | [188] |
| 1836. Spohr’s second marriage | [194] |
| Journey to Leipsic, Dresden and Saxon Switzerland | [195] |
| Musical festival at Brunswick | [197] |
| Millenium-jubilee at Paderborn | [199] |
| 1837. Projected musical festival at Cassel | [202] |
| Journey to Prague | [204] |
| Vienna—Salzburg, &c. | [206] |
| 1838. Death of Theresa Spohr | [209] |
| Journey to Carlsbad | [209] |
| Continuation of Spohr’s Biography by his family | [210] |
| 1839. Composes his “Historical Symphony” | [215] |
| Departure to the musical festival at Norwich | [215] |
| 1840. Journey to the musical festival at Aix-la-Chapelle | [227] |
| Journey to Lübeck and Hamburg | [229] |
| 1841. Journey to Switzerland by way of Stuttgard and Hechingen | [232] |
| Musical festival at Lucerne | [235] |
| Composes his “Double Symphony” | [237] |
| Musical performance in honour of Mozart in Cassel | [239] |
| 1842. Journey to Carlsbad | [240] |
| 1843. Invitation to Prague | [244] |
| Journey to London to direct the “Fall of Babylon” | [249] |
| 1844. Composes the opera: “The Crusaders” | [257] |
| Journey to Paris | [257] |
| Journey to the musical festival at Brunswick | [260] |
| 1845. His opera of “The Crusaders” performed for the first time, at Cassel | [261] |
| Journey to Oldenburg, Carlsbad and Berlin | [262] |
| Journey to Bonn to the inauguration of the memorial erected to Beethoven | [270] |
| 1846. Journey to Leipsic and Carlsbad | [276] |
| 1847. Spohr’s twenty-fifth Anniversary as director at Cassel | [282] |
| Spohr’s journey to London | [287] |
| Musical performances in commemoration of the death of Mendelssohn | [291] |
| 1848. Festivities at Cassel | [293] |
| 1849. Journey to Leipsic and Carlsbad | [293] |
| 1850. Spohr’s fall upon the ice | [295] |
| Composes his symphony “The Seasons” | [295] |
| Journey to Leipsic, Breslau and Berlin | [296] |
| 1851. Journey to Switzerland and Italy | [300] |
| Journey to Göttingen | [300] |
| 1852. Law-suit relative to the fine imposed upon Spohr for his absence on a journey without permission | [301] |
| Journey to London to direct the performance of his opera: “Faust” | [302] |
| Appointment of a second director of the orchestra, Mr. Bott at Cassel | [306] |
| 1853. Journey to London to direct the performance of his opera “Jessonda,” &c. | [308] |
| 1854. Journey to Switzerland, Munich and Alexandersbad | [314] |
| 1855. Journey to Hannover | [316] |
| Journey to Hamburg and Lübeck | [319] |
| 1856. Journey to Dresden, Saxon Switzerland and Prague | [321] |
| Journey to the Harz | [321] |
| 1857. Journey to Holland | [323] |
| Spohr pensioned off by the Elector of Hesse | [325] |
| Breaks his arm | [327] |
| 1858. Journey to Magdeburg, &c. | [327] |
| Journey to Bremen | [329] |
| Journey in Prague to the jubilee of the conservatory | [329] |
| Visit to Alexandersbad | [331] |
| Journey to Wiesbaden to the musical festival of the Middle-Rhine | [331] |
| Journey to Leipsic | [331] |
| His Last composition | [334] |
| 1859. Journey to Meiningen. Spohr directs an orchestra for the last time | [336] |
| Journey to Detmold | [338] |
| Journey to Alexandersbad and Würzburg | [339] |
| Spohr’s last illness and death | [341] |